Your breakfast awaits: Orange walnut whole wheat scones

Wouldn’t you just love to hear that someday? “Your breakfast awaits.” Sure, “Come and get it!” has a certain homestyle appeal, and “Just eat something, the bus is coming!” carries a certain energy, but “Your breakfast awaits” conjures up a whole new set of images, such as…

Clean “real” dishware, no paper or plastic to be seen. Everyone showered and dressed in real clothes with no holes, hair combed, teeth brushed. “Your breakfast awaits” implies that someone else has gotten up early and cracked the eggs, baked the Danish, juiced the oranges (yes, fresh juice is a must for this type of event) and chilled the champagne; and this feast is artfully arranged on china, crystal, and silver in the dining room.

If someone has gotten up to make this lovely breakfast, I’m sure they’re also nice enough to have done all the dishes, too. They’ve fed the doggies and given Charlieman the poodle his morning snuggle. A load of fresh towels is folded by the sparkling clean shower, the windows gleam, and the kitchen floor shines.

Not only that, but my credit cards have been paid off, my bank account is full, my Disney vacation is booked including first-class airfare and a suite at the Polynesian, the gas tank is full, the oil tank is too…

Okay, okay, *maybe* I’m getting a little carried away now but there really is a special feeling that goes along with someone making you a delicious breakfast to start your day off right. It makes you feel loved and cared for, and cherished. Next time you’re whipping up morning treats for your special people, think about making these Orange Walnut Whole Wheat Scones. Deeply satisfying with a mild sweetness to the scone, the crunch of toasted nuts, and the tang of candied orange peel, these scones are terrific; and adding our exclusive Fiori di Sicilia flavoring to the dough brings these humble-bumble scones to new heights.

Fiori di Sicilia is a unique flavoring with tones of citrus and vanilla. It has a heavenly scent that calms my spirits and invigorates me at the same time. I love to use it in glazes. It adds an extra-special flavor to otherwise “pretty good” baked goods and makes them great. As a baker on the King Arthur’s bakers’ hotline, I hear from folks quite often who purchase the flavor because it sounds so terrific. But then they’re a bit shy about knowing where to use it. I always recommend the glaze from this recipe as a jumping off point. It really gives you the full flavor of the Fiori, and sets that flavor in your mind so that in the future you can pair it with other flavors that sound good to you. Another bonus is that a little goes a long way and it lasts indefinitely in your fridge. Treat yourself to a bottle and join the fans of Fiori.

Spread the nuts on a dry parchment lined baking sheet and place in the hot oven for about 5-8 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Do keep a close eye on the nuts as they can easily scorch. Remove from the oven and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Place the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and whisk well to combine. During humid weather, your baking powder or baking soda may clump up. Just pinch any lumps between your fingers to break them up.

Add the toasted nuts and candied orange peel to the dry ingredients and toss well to coat. These scones are a bit wetter than other recipes and no kneading is done. Adding the nuts/peel now will save over-mixing later.

Cut the cold butter into thin slices or small pieces. Don’t get too fussy here, you just don’t want big chunks. Toss the butter in the dry mix.

Working quickly to keep the butter cold, press the butter into thin “leaves”. These leaves will keep your scones flaky and tender during baking. By coating the fat in flour, you’ll have nice flakes of scone after the butter melts during baking.

And now for the star of our show, Fiori di Sicilia, “flowers of Sicily.” I can’t tell you enough how great this stuff is, but I’ll try. Fiori is so fragrant and so flavorful, just the smallest amount can really change a recipe, making it a real show stopper.

Orange and citrus scents are proven mood lifters. The scent of Fiori really makes you close your eyes and relax, dreaming of fresh citrus groves, warm breezes, and the comfort of vanilla. My 15-year-old daughter Shannon likes to use just a drop for perfume, and it’s perfect for a young girl. It isn’t heavy or cloying; it’s light, fragrant, and calming. No wonder this exclusive item has been a KAF best-seller for years.

Blend the buttermilk, egg, vanilla and Fiori in a measuring cup, and add all at once to the dry mix.

Quickly and lightly blend together to form a soft, quite wet dough. PLEASE don’t add more flour, even though the batter looks wet.

Instead, cover the dough with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. This rest will allow the whole wheat flour to absorb some more of the liquid without making the dough dry from additional flour. This will also allow the butter to firm up again, ensuring a flaky scone. You can leave the dough chilling for up to 1 hour before baking.

There, nice and cold. If you compare the two photos, you can see that the dough isn’t nearly as wet after its rest.

Use a 1/4 cup measure or a muffin scoop to drop the scones onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave at least 2” between scones for expansion. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven 16-18 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set the tray on a rack to cool slightly.

While the scones are cooling, let’s whip up a bit of glaze. In a small bowl combine confectioners’ sugar and heavy cream (or milk).

Fiori di Sicilia is a fantastic flavor, but it is also quite potent. To make sure you add only a couple of drops to the glaze, pour just a bit of Fiori into a small measuring spoon and use that to add one drop at a time to the glaze.

You can see from the yellow dots that I only added 2 drops to the glaze.

Mix the glaze until smooth and lump-free. Add additional cream if need to achieve a spreadable consistency.

OH yeah, looky there! Yes, you can eat the scones naked, or the naked scones I should say, but the glaze really adds a bright punch of flavor.

Spread or pour the glaze over the slightly warm scones. Having drizzles down the sides to lick up with a finger is essential in my book.

By now, the kitchen smells like a fresh orange grove and your tummy will be rumblin’. Grab your tea and a warm scone and start planning your day as the citrus breezes surround you. Life is good.

MaryJane Robbins grew up in Massachusetts and moved to Vermont 20 years ago. After teaching young children for 15 years, she changed careers and joined King Arthur Flour in 2005. MaryJane began working on King Arthur Flour's baker’s hotline in 2006, and the blog team ...

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Never mind — I just clicked again and it came up! Unfortunately, the white whole wheat flour does not work with my diabetic husband. Regular whole wheat flour will work, however. Can that be used instead?Sure Brenda, you can use the traditional whole wheat instead. Have fun! ~ MaryJane

The links are still not working right. Every link for the recipe sends me to the main recipe page with the Lemon Love illustration. Same thing happened last week when I tried to link to another recipe.Sorry Donna, not sure what would cause that. Try this link .~MaryJane

My family and I are taking a trip this weekend and I was wondering what to make for breakfast on the road. Problem solved!! They look fantastic! Thanks for the recipe. I usually make KAF’s blueberry scones but these look worth a try also.Hi Becky,
These would be great on the road. Filling, with whole grains and nuts, plus a touch of sweetness to set the mood for a happy trip. Have fun! ~ MaryJane

Since vanilla and orange are two of my favorite flavors I love the fiori! It makes an angel food cake to die for. I will absolutely be making these this weekend, and it keeps to my mostly whole grain trend lately. Thanks for such a great scone recipe, can’t wait to smell these baking!HI Lish,
The scent will drive you mad, so brace yourself with a cookie or mini lava cake while you are waiting for these to finish baking. Nom, nom, nom! ~ MaryJane

this looks wonderful! I would love to get some of that fiori stuff. another thing to add to my wishlist. It’s too bad shipping to canada is super expensive!It is a bummer Tia. Maybe you can find some friends who want to order too, and share the expense. OR take a trip to Vermont! ~ MaryJane

And Tia, as I mention below, we’re currently working on a much more cost-effective solution for our Canadian customers… PJH

These look so yummy! And hearing about the fiori di sicilia a few times now on the blog makes me really want to try it. Is it sold in stores at all, or is shipping the only way to get some?

Fiori Di Sicilia IS an intriguing flavor that will make you and your baked goods the hit of the party! Available in either 1 or 4 ounce sizes, you can order it through our website or by calling 800-827-6836. Irene @ KAF

Elise, it’s not available in stores. It’s an Italian flavor we discovered years ago, and now we have it bottled just for us… PJH

OOOh my mouth is watering! This sounds perfect to bring to the in-laws for Sunday brunch!
I’m with @tia on the expensive shipping to Canada. What would make a decent substitute for the Fiori di Sicilia?

Fiori Di Sicilia is like a creamscicle flavor…..citrus and vanilla, so that might mimic what you are looking for. We do hear your concerns about shipping – they are now part of our customer observations. Irene @ KAF

AND we’re currently researching a much better way of serving our Canadian customers – so stay tuned… PJH

I will be making these this weekend..or maybe later tonight. My two favorite things: oranges and the Fior di Sicilia. Wanted to tell you that I have been using the Fior di Sicilia flavoring for a couple years–it has made my traditional Italian Easter breads and other sweets taste just like my mother and grandmother used to make–It is the REAL DEAL!! Everyone keeps asking me how I make them taste like the “old country” and I smile and say “It’s a royal ingredient–from the King.” You go girl! Don’t forget to write it all down so that future bakers will know your secrets. Have a great weekend!
~ MaryJane

I’m now a daily lurker on this blog! Oh, these look wonderful! But, can I use whole wheat pastry flour (i have a bunch i just milled Sunday from making pancakes for breakfast) or a combination of it and white whole wheat?

Using your home milled pastry flour in combination with the white whole wheat should result in a very tender scone. Thanks for being a frequent flyer (or baker!). Irene @ KAF

Are any changes needed to make these scones as a traditional triangle shape or in the mini-scone pan I purchased from KAF? These sound wonderful, my husband loves orange vanilla-flavored treats, and I have all the ingredients on hand today! Thank you!

I remember eating scones as a child and not really liking them – I thought they were dry, tasteless biscuits. Then, I started reading the recipes and seeing the pictures and I thought, hey, maybe I am missing something. Maybe those scones were like the bread and cheese I used to eat (smooshy white bread with American cheese) and, perhaps, there is so much more. So, I started making them and, wow. I now have a scone pan with various mixes always in my pantry. I LOVE the recipes! This is definately on the list to make. And thanks for giving multiple ideas for a product – I am always hesitant to purchase a product for one thing.

Can I just add the fiori di scilia (which I have just ordered ) to the Quick Mix recipe for scones? I will be traveling in an RV for a year, and the Quick Mix is quick and easy for on-the-road baking.Sure you can do this -it is a wonderful flavor! Joan D @KAF

I have one of your standard sized scone pans. If I desire to use it instead of the drop method, how many will it make and do I have to adjust the baking temperature or time?HI Michele,
I’ve never tried this in a scone pan. I think it would fill all 8 wells, as it make a dozen drop scones. I would keep the same temp, but timing may be a bit longer. Just keep a close eye the first time you try it out. These scones are quite tender, so be careful when you remove them from the pan. ~ MaryJane

Fiori Di Sicilia, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! I have been using this flavor ever since The Baker’s Catalogue introduced it to all of us and I never get tired of it. I make the Grand Marnier Cake recipe that is in the Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum and I use Fiori Di Sicilia instead of the orange flower water that is one of the listed ingredients. I think it makes a great cake even greater!
These scones look delicious and are definitely something I must make sometime.

I purchased a bottle of Fiori Di Sicilia awhile ago, used it once and could not find another recipe that called for this wonderful flavoring. I’m happy that you’ve provided us with at least two in your last newsletter. I will try the scones for my bed and breakfast guests, and the brandy biscuits that also call for this wonderful flavoring, hoping it will taste like the biscuits my Nonna Giuseppina made long ago. When I visited her as a child, I always knew she made these biscuits just for me from the delightful aroma that wafted through the house. I hope you can provide some Easter bread recipes that call fro Fiori DiSicilia.

I love, love, love Fiori Di Sicilia. I have use it in place of vanilla in rolled sugar cookies, in plain loaf quick breads and muffins and in vanilla cupcakes. It smells divine , especially while baking.I am happy to see it is now in a larger bottle altough I have learned that a small amount goes a long way, flavor wise.Thanks forthese new recipes. I will be tring them very soon.

I made these last night. I only had whole wheat pastry flour so I used that. I only had pecans so I used those. I didn’t have any candied orange peel so I used orange marmalade. I only had orange extract so I used that. I only had whole milk for the glaze so I used that. Result? DELICIOUS last night and warmed for breakfast this morning. Thanks!

Made these today to enjoy with Sunday coffee. Was surprised they tasted so “wheaty,” what with the walnuts, candied orange and Fiori di Sicilia flavoring. But they were very tender, and since they were made with whole grain, I could tell myself they were a healthy indulgence!
My dough didn’t seem all that wet (this particular brand of buttermilk I was using is really thick), so instead of using the disher, I patted the dough into a rectangle and used my bench knife to cut squares, and that made for pretty scones, especially once they were iced. If I’d cut the squares again into triangles, that would have made really cute little scones for a brunch tray.
Here’s one of my favorite uses for Fiori di Sicilia — use it to flavor a basic butter spritz cookie recipe. I love to use the flower plate and press an upside down chocolate chip in the middle to be the flower’s center. Makes a yummy little cookie with an unusual flavor that’s nice for special occasions.Hi – Sometimes when my scone or biscuit dough seems on the dry side, I simply add more liquid until a nice sticky but managable dough is made. I just use whatever I have (milk, 1/2 & 1/2) if I run out of buttermilk, heavy cream, for example. Usually it only takes a few more tablespoons to get the consistency I am looking for. Fiori di Sicilia is so fun to experiment with. Your spritz cookies sound great! Elisabeth @ KAF

This recipe looked great, I had all the ingredients, so tried it today. Everything went fine until I added the liquids – it did not make a wet dough, but a dry crumbly one. I blended in another spoonful of buttermilk. Put the stuff in the ‘fridge to chill. I got twelve blobs of dough on the baking sheet, had to squeeze them to hang together. If I had been thinking ‘food’, rather than the phone call I had to return, I would have realized there wasn’t enough liquid to activate the baking powder, hold the stuff together and allow them to rise. They didn’t spread or rise much, stayed somewhat moist in center but crumbly outside. Not much aroma of Fiori di Sicilia. Flavor a bit bitter. I checked all quantities – it seems to me to need more than 1/2 cup of buttermilk to get a wet dough. Or is this just the result of the flour being the last few cups in the bottom of the canister during a very dry winter in northern MN? Seems extreme just for extra dry flour. Guess I will glaze them; had planned to use just half the amount of glaze to keep the sugar lower, but will make it a bit wetter and use the whole 1 cup powdered sugar. Any thoughts?

Carol – I am sorry your scones did not come out as anticipated. Whole grains will produce a scone with a more coarse dense texture. But, yours sounded a bit too dry! A few things come to mind. 1. Perhaps you did not measure your flour properly and got too much. We recommend to fluff up the flour, sprinkle in the measuring cup and level it off. This method should give you a 4 oz. cup. 2. If your butter pieces were not cut into into the dry ingredients enough, the dough may not be cohesive once the liquid has been added. 3. Be sure to use large eggs. 4. You may always add more liquid if the dough is not holding together, much like when making pie dough. Next time, add more buttermilk until you have a workable dough. Just be careful not to overwork the dough in the process. Elisabeth @ KAF

I got all my ingredients this week and made these this morning. I had to add quite a bit of buttermilk to just get all the flour mixed in. It wasn’t really sticky. I may mill it more fine next time. There will surely be a next time. Tender, despite the lack of stickiness and oh so yummy. The Fiori di Sicilia’s scent is reminiscent of baby aspirin, which I loved as a child and wished I could eat as candy. Nice to have that memory and a taste/smell that is equally tantalizing and pleasurable 30 years later!

My scones were not as wet as they looked on the blog, and I had the same problem as some of the other bakers getting all the flour mixed in. I wasn’t sure whether or not to mix in more buttermilk, because I wasn’t sure if a wet dough was the goal. I had a bit of difficulty scooping and dropping because they dough was so dry. They did not spread in the oven, and are rather homely. It’s a good thing they are iced. I made the recipe exactly as written except I used dried pineapple instead of candied orange peel (which I couldn’t find and don’t especially like). They are still hot, so I can’t comment on the taste, but they smell great.

Re: my very dry batch of scones posted Feb. 25 – thanks for your comments Elizabeth. The full amount of glaze rescued them, they were at least edible and disappeared quite rapidly. I do think, after another batch of scones using fresher flour, that very dry flour was the problem. Stirred in more buttermilk in that batch, and the orange-cranberry scones turned out great. Will have to try the orange-walnut again, but with the new bag of KAF white wheat flour I found in a ‘local’ store – only 55 miles away! They also had the all-purpose and regular whole wheat. Hooray! I also noticed in another store that the Bob’s Red Mill brand has horned in on a good thing and now packages organic white wheat flour.

I’ve made this recipe twice and have had the same experience as several others, that more liquid was needed. Each time I’ve had to add an extra 1/2 cup of buttermilk to get a moist dough. Since we prefer small scones I use my 2-tablespoon scoop rather than 1/4 cup–yields 22-23 scones.